New version reminders, and lack thereof

[bear]

Lately it seems WHMCS is putting a lot of effort into new ways to make money for themselves. We don't always like the way they've done it, but that's business and understandable for the most part. 

I see the new version has been released, and on one of my installations it shows a highlighted (pink with red text) nag at the top of the admin dashboard that an update is available. On the other install, no nag. Looking into it, I see the updates have expired for that install. No reminder email, no "hey, an update is available, but you can't have it" nag in the dashboard and so on. Had to go look at the update page in admin to see the cause, and even then it says in large letters at the top (along with that huge puffy version box) : "You are running the latest version". Further down, "below the fold" so to speak, it states I'm expired, only in that box telling me there's a newer version anywhere.
Kind of missing the boat there, not making it obvious something that makes you recurring money has expired (in this case a month ago), when a busy admin doesn't alway check they're up to date, no? I update on expiry, it expires again sooner. Just sayin'. 😉

[pRieStaKos]

I think you can always read the email notifications or the official release tweets (even beta) of WHMCS, if you enable notifications of Twitter

BTW 7.7 is on GA., but still many issues...

Edited January 22, 2019 by pRieStaKos

[brian!]

41 minutes ago, pRieStaKos said:

BTW 7.7 is on GA., but still many issues...

the lack of posts/threads (not started by WHMCS) did really concern me during the beta period - for all those new features listed in the release notes, I would have thought there would have been a lot more posts than there were.

... the next few weeks will be a better indication once more users start upgrading their production sites.

[bear]

57 minutes ago, pRieStaKos said:

I think you can always read the email notifications or the official release tweets (even beta) of WHMCS, if you enable notifications of Twitter

BTW 7.7 is on GA., but still many issues...

Got no emails, and don't use Twitter. 
Seems to me the place to tell me I've expired is the place I definitely go to daily (often many times per day), with a clear notice that "hey, there's a new version you can't have" or something. If I wasn't participating here or had a second active support installation, I simply wouldn't know about it. 

I mean, we have giant badges on the dashboard that don't update very frequently and are somewhat pointless in that regard, so why not something useful like a warning/notice that's important?

8 minutes ago, brian! said:

for all those new features listed in the release notes, I would have thought there would have been a lot more posts than there were

I hear you. The Beta seemed to end really quickly, and few threads about issues. Hard to say if it's "just that good" or low participation was taken as "no problems reported, release it". As always, the next few weeks will tell, as more move to it.

[pRieStaKos]

19 minutes ago, brian! said:

the lack of posts/threads (not started by WHMCS) did really concern me during the beta period - for all those new features listed in the release notes, I would have thought there would have been a lot more posts than there were.

... the next few weeks will be a better indication once more users start upgrading their production sites.

Change log is not so big. Maybe this is why. 

If the new features (that 3-4) won’t lead to tickets/threads maybe they will focus on a more stable release. I already checked the widget issue. Can’t see what it’s wrong and movable feature is working only on two row of widget dashboard...

[brian!]

2 minutes ago, pRieStaKos said:

Change log is not so big. Maybe this is why. 

taken as a whole, the v7.7 changelog includes a lot of implemented and updated features... besides, one line in a changelog could be a minor tweak, or a major change... e.g see the FontAwesome fiasco from v7.6... that was just a couple of words in the changelog, but took them months to get right.

14 minutes ago, pRieStaKos said:

If the new features (that 3-4) won’t lead to tickets/threads maybe they will focus on a more stable release.

there are more new features than that... I daresay there will be hidden features/changes that will only come to light in the next few weeks once more users, including me, take a look at it.

[WHMCS John]

Hi @bear,

Provided your cron.php is executing at-least once per hour (5 minutes is the recommended frequency) the update notice will appear within 8 hours of it being pushed live.

Please review Utilities > Logs > Activity Log for the "Automated Task: Starting WHMCS Updates" entries.

 

We also sent an email update out to active direct licence holders with the subject "WHMCS Maintenance Updates Released". I received a copy at 11pm GMT.

[bear]

48 minutes ago, WHMCS John said:

Provided your cron.php is executing at-least once per hour (5 minutes is the recommended frequency) the update notice will appear within 8 hours of it being pushed live.

As mentioned, it says there's an update only on the page where you check for updates, and then only at the bottom of that page, after scrolling down. On the dashboard, nothing. On the update page it clearly states "you are on the latest version", at 7.6.1. It's only once you scroll down you see the rest of it: "Expired Support & Updates Preventing Update
A new update is available however your Support and Updates have expired."

Also, "WHMCS Maintenance Updates Released" email? This is a maintenance release?
Oh, and just checked my email logs; no such email arrived here. 😉

Edited January 22, 2019 by bear

[bear]

22 hours ago, WHMCS John said:

Provided your cron.php is executing at-least once per hour (5 minutes is the recommended frequency) the update notice will appear within 8 hours of it being pushed live.

@WHMCS John I think you may have missed the point of my thread. If my support is expired, which I might not have been aware of (another issue, not being reminded/notified), nowhere within WHMCS except for a small blurb on the update page (at the bottom) does it tell me about this. Nothing in the header of the dashboard, system status, sidebar or in fact on the update page where it shows the giant "You're up to date", when in fact there's a new version (borne out by the pink/red blurb on that same page. 

This means I'd need to already know there's a new release, and also know that I had to go to the update page and scroll down past where it falsely told me I'm fine to learn about it. 
I'd suggest that needs fixing. I'd say a simple notice in the dashboard on even expired licenses that leads to the update page where a noticeable notice appears...and the "you're fine" text maybe saying something about license/support status. 
Maybe just me.